A Spoonful of Murder: A Murder Most Unladylike Mystery 06 (A Murder Most Unladylike Mystery, 6)

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Oh how brilliant was this book?! I must have read it in about two servings as I just couldn't put it down… Had great comical moments throughout. A really good murder mystery book’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The plot flows at an even pace, with numerous humorous moments. There are a veritable plethora of red herrings and multiple suspects who could be responsible for Topsy's death, but WHY? Why would anyone want to murder a harmless, if slightly befuddled, old lady? But they know there’s more to Topsy’s death than meets the eye – and it’s down to them to prove it... My thanks to Avon Books U.K. for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘A Spoonful of Murder’ by J.M. Hall in exchange for an honest review.

It's the sixth murder mystery for The Detective Society! This time, though, one of them is the suspect... In ‘A Spoonful of Murder‘ we meet Liz, Pat and Thelma. Three retired schoolteachers who meet up with each other every Thursday (and there’s a completely believable reasoning behind why it has to be a Thursday) for cake, coffee and a chat about children and grandchildren. But then a former colleague is found dead and their weekly meetings turn a little something darker. Because Topsy may have died looking all peaceful and whatnot in her comfy chair, the three friends know deep down there’s a lot more to it than that. Now they just have to prove it. Winter is big business in small-town Snowflake, Vermont. Tourists arrive to hit the ski slopes--and what could be more satisfying after a chilly day of carving powder than a steaming bowl of soup?

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Alongside the fast paced, humorous, story there are some weightier themes; including the threat of dementia and the manipulative exploitation of the vulnerable or elderly, so that whilst this is a relatively light-hearted read, there’s considerable light and shade to enjoy too. Not only is the story beguiling and diversionary, but it’s cautionary and educational. But when they arrive they discover something they didn't expect: there's a new member of the Wong family. Three Miss Marples for the price of one… The plot is carefully assembled, rather like a patchwork quilt, with each element placed just so’ NetGalley review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ REVIEWED BY LINDA HILL It’s going to sound ridiculous to say so when reviewing a murder story but A Spoonful of Murder is enormous fun!

A Spoonful of Murder by J.M. Hall is a great cozy mystery that takes a trio of retired educators and turns them into amateur sleuths…a murder/mystery novel that was quite the enjoyable ride.The audiobook of this is brilliantly narrated by Julie Hesmondhalgh, and can definitely be recommended. If captures the combination of hope, melancholy and humour that the story deserves, for there are as many moments that will make you smile and even laugh, as those that will leave you saddened by what comes to pass. I know that the three women, Liz, Thelma and Pat, were great characters, brought perfectly to life in the audio, and really good to spend time with. If you like a good cosy crime, with emotional and thoughtful undercurrent, this may well be the book for you. About the Author As the story progresses, I find it difficult to keep myself attentive in the story. Each chapter all throughout, there are new characters or code names introduced. It makes me confused who is who. Even if I take down notes of the important characters (and clues) to help myself solve the mystery, the author's writing style has managed to make me engaged in the story as I follow the journey of the main characters to reach the revelation. In the end, I have made myself extremely annoyed. The author has created a good villain that I will never like.

Overall, A Spoonful of Murder by JM Hall, is a cozy crime mystery about three people embracing their messes and finding justice for an ex-colleague’s unclear cause of death. Carries the Murder Most Unladylike mysteries into new heights . . . meticulously plotted and consistently delightful, and I can't recommend it enough' New Statesman A skilful blend of golden era crime novel and boarding school romp, with a winning central relationship between plump, anxious Hazel, a new girl who has arrived from Hong Kong, and the super-confident, blonde English rose Daisy Wells. The novel works both as an affectionate satire and an effective murder mystery, and Stevens can go places Enid Blyton never dreamt of ... Top class -- Susi Feay Financial TimesA Spoonful of Murder was a very easy read and felt like a modern-day Agatha Christie. I could not put the book down. It has a good mixture of humour, sadness, and mystery which kept my interest throughout and I didn’t want it to end. The entire story held my attention and the search for the killer kept me guessing. There were plenty of suspects to go around and so little to know about the victim, that anything was possible.